


Beloved

by FawkesFire13



Category: Asuras Bride (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:21:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawkesFire13/pseuds/FawkesFire13
Summary: A fluffy little fic for Asura’s Bride.
Relationships: Ulaan/Yuwa
Comments: 14
Kudos: 53





	Beloved

**Author's Note:**

  * For [larosamorada85](https://archiveofourown.org/users/larosamorada85/gifts).



> This fic is basically fluffy, cuteness. Nothing serious. Takes place several years after the events of Asura’s Bride.
> 
> A shout out to the ladies of the MPL RAMBLING chat. You ladies give me life. 
> 
> As always all characters belong to Lilydusk!

Ulaan stood in the courtyard, watching Nigen swing the small wooden sword. He was tall for his age, at only 6 years old he was already a head higher than the other court children his age.

If he kept growing at this rate he would be taller than his mother in a few short years. Ulaan smirked just a bit, thinking of his small, fiery wife. She should be here soon, with their daughter, Akira. He smiled, watching Nigen make a loose swing at the small hay stuffed dummy that had been set up for him, the little boy having not noticed his father yet. 

It gave Ulaan time to reflect on how much his son had grown, and how much life had changed. Yuwa had brought Nigen into the world in the middle of the summer, one almost unbearably hot evening. Ulaan had been a mess, watching Yuwa struggle for so long. Ulaan, had been nervous, almost more than Yuwa, had brought in several doctors and mid wives from across his kingdom to be in attendance for the arrival of the royal child. 

Looking back, he had admitted to himself he had gone into full battles with less fear. Watching his small wife crying one moment and screaming the next had been nerve wracking. The doctors had told him he could leave the chamber, but Ulaan had refused, determined to greet his child as soon as it entered this world.

So when the delighted midwife had caught the bloody, squirming baby, he had been right there, Yuwa squeezing his hand, and looking dangerously pale, but smiling. Ulaan had watched, eyes wide and spilling tears as the child was cleaned, swaddled in a blanket, then handed to Yuwa who smiled. 

Carefully, she had opened the blanket, giving Ulaan’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“A little prince.” She had declared. Ulaan’s world seemed to spin, all focus bent on the tiny, whimpering being resting in his wife’s arms. 

He was a father. 

He had a son.

Not more then a few minutes later, bells were being rung throughout his court, lanterns were lit and there were joyful cries as the midwives carried the news to eagerly waiting servants.

A boy. 

A prince.

The Crown Prince was here.

Celebrations stretched through his lands for months as word traveled. Fireworks were released nearly every night for several weeks. Yuwa had recovered remarkably quickly, much to Ulaan’s delight. 

His son had grown quickly, and it was apparent within the first year that he was going to inherit his father’s stature. In fact, he was beginning to look like his father more and more each day, although he had his mother’s eyes. Ulaan did not, at the time, think it was possible to be any happier. 

Until the day came when Nigen was just a little over three years of age, and his sister, Akira arrived. 

Akira had come to them in the dead of winter, during a snow storm, and thankfully the effort to bring her into the world had not been as hard on Yuwa. Blessedly, Yuwa had had the foresight to install her chosen doctor and midwives in the palace before the first snowfall otherwise it would have made things very stressful. 

Ulaan was expecting another son, but had beamed with joy when the midwife had announced that a little girl had arrived. Yuwa had been particularly delighted, possibly thinking she would have a tiny princess she could spoil with gowns and jewels. How wrong they had both been. Little Akira was loud, not at all interested in the beautiful gowns Yuwa had made for her, and had torn them as she learned to run. Dolls did not hold her interest, but her brother’s wooden swords did.

Yuwa had sighed and only curbed her just enough so she would stop ripping her gowns. The little girl could climb trees just as nimbly as her brother, much to the amusement of the entire court. Ulaan had been delighted when Akira had expressed interest in riding horses at a very young age. She would have to wait until she was older, but that didn’t stop Ulaan from taking her for short rides around the palace on his war horse, Khara. Akira was going to be a petite beauty, like her mother, but she had inherited a good deal of her father’s boldness, and wasn’t afraid to make her opinion known, even at a very young age. 

Where Nigen took after his father in looks, he was his mother’s son in tempment, prone to quietly think things through before acting. Privately, Ulaan felt this served the young boy well, and he was a quick study in almost every subject he was presented. Akira’s scholarly temperament had yet to be tried, as she was still a bit too young to sit very still for any lesson, but Ulaan did see her watching the world around her with curious eyes.

“Papa!” Akira’s sweet voice rang out behind him, the pattering of tiny feet hurrying his way, and Ulaan turned in time to see his daughter launch herself at him, her green gown fluttering and slightly smudged with paint. It seemed his daughter was prone to accidents lately. He smiled, and caught her easily, picking the giggling little girl up and lifting her over his head. At nearly 4 years old she was a force to be reckoned with. 

“My little warrior!” He laughed, as Yuwa followed behind at a more sedate pace, a twinkle in her eyes. 

“Your little warrior painted the walls of her chamber with paint and ink today.” She informed her husband, a wry smirk on her face. Ulaan sighed only for a moment. They had their daughter’s chamber painted days after her birth, commissioning artists to cover the walls in flowering trees, colorful birds and rippling waves. 

“Does my little warrior not like what we chose for you?” Ulaan asked his youngest seriously. 

“I want horses!” Akira pouted. “Like Nigen!” Ulaan looked over at Yuwa who held up her hands in amusement. Nigen had a landscape of mountains and trees, with war horses traveling over those mountains. A bit later a single sleeping tiger had been added, as Nigen had declared the “orange cat” his favorite. 

“Not the beautiful flowers? Your mama picked them out just for you.” Ulaan questioned. His daughter looked back at Yuwa, and then at Ulaan. Akira had her father’s eyes, alert, clever and he saw a bright sparkle behind them. 

“Can I have horses with flowers?” Akira asked carefully. 

“Yes, my fierce little girl. You can. But you must ask next time, before you paint your walls. Understand?” Ulaan said in a tone that was only lightly touched with seriousness. It was no secret in the court that Akira had her fearsome father twisted around her tiny fingers. Just like Nigen was the pride of his father. 

“Yes, papa.” Akira was all smiles as Ulaan swung her up onto his shoulder, and the three walked to Nigen, who lowered his sword as he caught sight of them, a smile on his face. Not for the last time was Ulaan glad that peace had been established years ago. His children had grown up with both parents and no fears to trouble them. At the time, ending the Wars had been a way for Ulaan to keep the peace in the kingdoms so he and his bride could live quietly. Now he knew in his heart, he would do everything to keep it maintained to never see fear in his children’s faces. Nothing was more precious and beloved by Ulaan than his family. 

Nigen took Yuwa’s hand, and together they walked to the inner most courtyard, a place that only the Royal household was permitted to go. Guards were posted along the outside to keep anyone but Ulaan’s household from entering. 

The courtyard garden was one of the things Yuwa had improved in the months after Nigen was born. She had ordered a pond created, new trees planted, stone benches placed in their shade. In addition she had planted peonies, lotus flowers for the pond, and several varieties of jewel bright blossoms. Ulaan had no real interest in the garden before, it was something his father’s grandmother had commissioned if he recalled correctly. Now he was grateful for the small haven, it gave his children a place that was their own. 

On days like today, for example, he was glad for it, because it was a place to build memories. Yuwa had told him last night, and together they had celebrated quietly after tucking in Nigen and Akira of course. But now, they were both old enough to understand. Nigen had been very young when Akira arrived. He probably didn’t remember a time when he didn’t have a sister.

“Look! A hummingbird!” His son pointed to the brightly colored bird darting among the flowers. 

“Very beautiful.” Yuwa had smiled down at her son. “Such bright colors.”

Ulaan lowered Akira off his shoulders as they approached Yuwa’s favorite bench under a tree. His wife sat down, her gown fanning out gracefully around her. Ulaan sat next to her, taking her hand in his and placing a soft kiss on it. For a while they watched Nigen walking around the shallow pond, holding his sister’s hand. The little boy had become a very loving brother to the tiny bundle of fire that was his sister. Privately Ulaan was grateful his son seemed to have a calming effect on Akira, and he was fairly certain it was because she looked up to Nigen so much. 

“What do you think they’ll say?” Yuwa asked her husband. 

“I am not sure. I only hope the next one is healthy as the first two.” Yuwa smiled. 

“I hope the next one is like Nigen. If we have another little dragon like Akira the palace might not remain standing.” Ulaan laughed, causing Yuwa to giggle. 

“I wish I could argue that, however, I think you’re speaking the truth to me.” Ulaan smiled, and then nodded towards their children, Nigen was pointing to a large flower and Akira was listening to her brother quite seriously. Nigen plucked the flower carefully and allowed Akira a moment to smell its scent. Peonies has always been favored by the court.

“Nigen, Akira....” Yuwa called, still smiling. “Come here a moment.”

Nigen took his sister’s hand and walked her over to their parents, and Akira sat down in front of them in the grass. 

“Your father and I wanted to talk to you both.” Yuwa began, and bent her head, allowing Nigen to slip the peony blossom into her hair, tucking it behind her ear. Her sweet little boy was like his father and always thought his mother should be crowned in flowers. 

“Now, Nigen, son, do you remember when Akira was smaller?” Ulaan asked. Nigen made a puzzled face.

“When she screamed a lot?” Nigen asked. Ulaan turned his laugh into a cough. Yuwa gave Ulaan a glance, a smirk on her face.

“When she was a baby...” Yuwa corrected Nigen gently.

“She screamed.” Nigen insisted. 

“Babies do tend to cry a lot.” Ulaan agreed. “Because they don’t know how to talk yet. You cried when you were a baby as well, son.”

“Not like Akira.” Nigen said with confidence. Ulaan restrained a laugh again. His son was right. Nigen had been a sweet tempered child who smiled more than he cried, where Akira had howled at every opportunity, and could rarely be calmed by anyone except her parents. Often, Ulaan suspected, simply because she could. Ulaan had told Yuwa one night, after walking their bedroom floor with his tiny howling daughter, he was positive the Okuri Inu had gifted her with their voices. Yuwa had not found the joke quite as amusing in the pre dawn hours. 

“Well, your sister had much to say when she was smaller, where you, Nigen tended to watch.” Yuwa added. 

“Papa says I have a wolf inside.” Akira spoke up. “And Nigen has a cat.”

“A Tiger.” Ulaan corrected, before Nigen could become offended that his giant, striped guardian could be demoted to a mere “cat.” 

“But we aren’t talking about animals....”Yuwa began again, rolling her eyes at how easily her children changed the topic. “We were talking about when the two of you were smaller.”

“Your mama is....going to have another baby.” Ulaan explained. Nigen blinked up at his father. Akira looked, confused.

“Another sister?” Nigen asked.

“We don’t know yet.” Yuwa answered, and opened her arms as Nigen crawled onto her lap. Akira was looking at her parents, seemingly unsure about this development.

“What’s wrong, Akira?” Ulaan asked his daughter. Her little face scrunched up. 

“Where will the baby sleep?”

“When the baby comes it will sleep in a nursery.” Yuwa smiled. “Just like your brother did, and you.”

“Not my room?” Akira asked. Ulaan opened his arms and Akira hurried into them, looking for assurance. 

“No, little wolf. Your room is your own.”

Akira was silent for a while, thinking. 

“When will mama have the baby?” Nigen asked. 

“We think it will be here in Autumn.” Ulaan explained. “But we don’t know the exact day.” Yuwa stroked Nigen’s inky locks, and her little boy looked up at her.

“Will you be sick? Like when Akira was a baby?” Yuwa and Ulaan exchanged a quick glance, surprised Nigen had remembered Yuwa’s morning sickness. 

“I might be.” Yuwa answered. “But that sometimes happens, Nigen.”

“But this is why we are talking to you now.” Ulaan added. “Because mama might not feel good some days. She might need to sleep more.”

“Does the baby make mama sleep more?” Akira asked. 

“Yes. Sometimes. Or mama might feel sick some days.” Ulaan explained. “Doctors might come to see her. But they are here to take care of your mama, don’t be scared.”

Nigen looked at Akira and back at his father. 

“I will only be scared if the baby is like Akira.”

Ulaan threw back his head and laughed, Yuwa playfully smacked Ulaan’s shoulder.  
Akira stuck out her tongue at her brother.

“Nigen!” Yuwa said, exasperated. “Your sister loves you!”

“But papa says wolves hunt in packs! And he told me about the Okuri Inu!”

Ulaan laughed harder, tears rolling down his cheeks as Yuwa rolled her eyes. 

“Your son is terrified of his sister!” Yuwa pointed out. 

“My son is wise beyond his years!” Ulaan laughed. “He knows danger comes in even the smallest of vessels.” He gave his wife a meaningful look. 

Yuwa finally laughed, and patted her son’s cheek. 

“Don’t worry, my sweet Nigen. You are fierce as a tiger, you’ll be safe.” Yuwa assured him.

Ulaan placed a kiss on Yuwa’s cheek, watching as her face blossomed with a soft pink. Tiger, wolf or even fish, whatever their next baby would be, he was simply happy to be able to welcome it into the family.

Later that night, as Ulaan held Yuwa in his arms, he sighed contentedly.

“Only 7 months away....” he began. Yuwa yawned, and turned to face him. 

“At least we are not traveling in a caravan...” Yuwa laughed softly. “My King does not need to demand that the finest cartwrights in Shan make a carriage with silken padding and fine draping in it for me.” 

“My Queen seems to think I would allow her to ride on horse back all the way back to the North.” Ulaan countered, not at all embarrassed that his first order upon entering Shan had been to have a carriage built immediately for the return trip. 

“Your Queen felt very beloved.” Yuwa said, kissing his neck gently. “Very safe and treasured.”

“I would hope my Queen feels that she is beloved every day.” Ulaan said, suddenly serious. “Not just when she is carrying my children.”

Yuwa paused, looking into her husband’s eyes. He looked so young to her still, still the warrior she met so many years ago.

“Every day, my love. Every day.” Yuwa assured him. “Every night as well.”

“I am happy my Queen knows how beloved she is.”

“Can your Queen ask a favor of her Mighty King?” Yuwa asked playfully. Ulaan raised a eyebrow, ready to grant her anything, including the stars in the heavens. 

“Of course, my little doll. Anything.”

“Your Queen requests that you take care of the little wolf and little tiger in the morning when they come into the room. Your Queen feels exhausted already.”

“As you command, my Queen.” Ulaan smiled. “As you command.”


End file.
